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Sidney Crosby approves of Jose Bautista’s bat flip

PITTSBURGH, PA—Hockey superstar Sidney Crosby is a fan of Jose Bautista and the Toronto Blue Jays.

Crosby said Thursday he was “locked in” watching the Blue Jays and that weirdly wonderful seventh inning against the Texas Rangers in the American League Division Series.

Jose Bautista of the Toronto Blue Jays throws his bat up in the air after he hits a three-run home run in the seventh inning against the Texas Rangers in game five of the American League Division Series at Rogers Centre on October 14, 2015 in Toronto. (Tom Szczerbowski / GETTY IMAGES)

Bautista’s bat-flip after his seventh-inning homer — deemed by the Rangers as an insult — nonetheless stands as an iconic moment for the Blue Jays.

“You’ve got 50,000 people at home, with a home run like that, that’s just pure emotion,” Crosby said. “I don’t think he was trying to show anybody up. We’ve all been in different situations. That was pretty exciting. If there was a time for one, that would probably be it.”

Crosby had a few moments like that, winning the Stanley Cup once and Olympic gold twice. In the 2010 Winter Games, Crosby scored the golden goal in overtime.

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Crosby also has no problem with baseball players celebrating every step along the way — from clinching a playoff berth to winning series by series. That’s in stark contrast to hockey’s tradition of celebrating nothing — not even touching the two conference trophies — until they win the Stanley Cup.

“It’s fun for them,” Crosby said of baseball’s celebrations. “It’s all based on tradition and what you’re used to. I don’t have a problem with it. I’m sure it’d be weird for a (baseball) team not to celebrate.

“I watched the game. I’d be celebrating if I were them, too. It was an incredible game.”

Jays appear to be team of choice in NHL locker rooms

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